The Queen Of Small Heath

Meeting her.

Tommys POV
(Age: 14)

"Arthur, can we get some sweets?" John asks my older brother as we walk down the gloomy streets of Small Heath. "No. Pol will kill me if I let you have sugar before dinner." Arthur responds firmly. It's true, our aunt Polly can be scary when she wants to, especially if someone disobeys her.

"And I said I don't care!" A girls voice suddenly shouts out. "I am your mother. You will listen to me and stop dressing like a harlet!" An older woman shouts back as the three of us come to a stop to see a woman shouting at a young girl, who seems to be around Johns age.

"Okay, you are not my mother. And how am I dressed like a harlet? It's a bloody dress!" The girl argues. "You are twelve years old! You shouldn't be dressing in short dresses." The woman exclaims. "Thanks for reminding me I was twelve. I seemed to have forgotten." The girl replies sarcastically making me and Arthur grin at each other in amusement.

"Don't be sassy with me, young lady. What would your pops say if you saw you?" The woman asks. "He would tell me that you're a stuck-up-cow who is jealous because you can't wear anything like this anymore." The girl replies making Arthur laugh.

"How dare you! You need to learn respect." The woman growls. "Respect is earned, step-monster." The girl responds before she turns to walk away as the woman slams the door behind her. The girl stops when she sees the three of us watching and gives us a dirty look. "Can I help you?" She asks rudely. "No." I reply shortly. "Good. Can you get out of my way then?" She utters, glaring.

"Do you know who you're speaking to?" I ask her, raising my eyebrow in disbelief. "No. And I don't care. Move." She says firmly and Arthur moves out of the way for her to pass without a 'thank you' from her. "Charming." I scoff. "I always am!" The girl calls over her shoulder. "She's got good hearing." John mutters.

"No one speaks to us like that. She didn't even know who we are." Arthur says in disbelief and I scoff, staring after her. "Understatement, brother." I grumble, wondering who this girl is exactly and how she thinks she can get away with talking to me like that.

******

Two days later.

"Boys!" Polly calls as we play cards in the kitchen. "What?" Arthur calls back as he places down a card. "Come out here! The lot of ya." She orders making us sigh as we stand up, walking out of the front door. I see a man, talking with Polly and the girl from two days ago, standing beside him.

Distaste instantly comes onto her face when she sees me and she rolls her eyes. "Boys, I would like you to meet Mr Rick Steele. An old friend of mine and your mothers." Polly introduces before me and Arthur shake the man's hand. "It's nice to meet you both. Polly has told me a lot about you." Mr Steele says before turning to the girl next to him. "And this is my daughter, Aurora."

"You're so beautiful." Polly compliments making the girl smile at her and I find myself staring, noticing how naturally beautiful she is. "Thank you. You're beautiful yourself, ma'am." Aurora responds. "Oh, so she has manners." Arthur whispers to me snidely. "Yes, I do." Aurora smirks making Arthur look away sheepishly.

"Aurora, this is Arthur, Tommy and John, my nephews." Polly introduces and Aurora nods bored. "Hi." John mumbles, waving shyly and she smiles softly. "Hi." She greets back. "I heard about your mother, boys. I'm very sorry. Your mother was a good woman. Her and my wife were friends for years." Mr Steele says softly.

"And I'm sorry about your wife. Maeve was a really good woman." Polly replies solemnly making Aurora look away. "Yes, she was." Mr Steele agrees, nodding his head. "Are you remarried? That's not the ring Maeve gave you." Polly asks, nodding to the ring on his finger. "Yes, I am. I have a son, called Jake, with her. Her names Stella." Mr Steele explains, although he doesn't sound happy.